A bid made by the Ricketts family to buy Chelsea has been shockingly ‘knocked back’, according to Financial Times.

Also, two bids are almost certain to make the final cut, being an investor group led by Todd Boehly, owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers and a consortium led by US billionaires, Josh Harris and David Blitzer.

The Ricketts family’s bid to buy Chelsea was ‘knocked back’ amid fan backlash, as the club looks increasingly likely to end up in the hands of US investors.

Roman Abramovich put his club up for sale after he was sanctioned by the British government and US merchant bank Raine are in charge to oversee the sale of the west London club.

Submission of bids to buy the Stamford Bridge outfit ended on Friday as different parties laid down their offers.

Raine is said to have contacted the unsuccessful applicants this week.

Some of the rejected bids include that from Saudi Media Group, as well as an offer from New York Jets owner, Woody Johnson.

Financial Times reports that two bids are almost certain to make the final cut: an investor group led by Todd Boehly and a consortium led by US billionaires Josh Harris and David Blitzer.

The emerging favorite bidders already own NBA team, the Philadelphia 76ers and have a stake in Crystal Palace – which they would need to sell – while they have also recruited Sir Martin Broughton and Lord Sebastian Coe to be part of their bid.

The Ricketts family’s offer had initially been expected to make Raine’s shortlist, but the newspaper says it may no longer be such a certainty following a backlash from supporters which has severely weakened their chances.